Spelling patterns and rules

Top Four Spelling Rules

1. Using ‘i’ before ‘e’ (with exceptions)

Use i before e, except after c, OR when sounded as ‘a’ as in ‘neighbour’ and ‘weigh’.

EXAMPLES: believe, chief, piece, and thief; deceive, receive, weigh, and freight
COMMON EXCEPTIONS: weird, height, neither, ancient, caffeine, foreign

2. Dropping the final ‘e’

Drop the final e before a suffix beginning with a vowel (a, e, i, o, u) but not before a suffix beginning with a consonant.

EXAMPLES:
ride + ing = riding

guide + ance = guidance

hope + ing = hoping

entire + ly = entirely

like + ness = likeness

arrange + ment = arrangement

COMMON EXCEPTIONS: truly, noticeable

3. Changing a final ‘y’ to ‘i’

Change a final y to i before a suffix, unless the suffix begins with i.

EXAMPLES:
defy + ance = defiance

party + es = parties

pity + ful = pitiful

try + es = tries

try + ing = trying

copy + ing = copying

occupy + ing = occupying

COMMON EXCEPTIONS: journeying, memorize

4. Doubling a Final Consonant

Double a final single consonant before a suffix beginning with a vowel when both of these conditions exist:

(a) a single vowel precedes the consonant;

(b) the consonant ends an accented syllable or a one-syllable word.

EXAMPLES:

stop + ing = stopping

admit + ed = admitted

occur + ence = occurrence

stoop + ing = stooping

benefit + ed = benefited

delight + ful = delightful

For more spelling rules, please see here: http://oxforddictionaries.com/words/spelling-rules-and-tips